© 2/7/2013, Jeffrey Bame – Content of this presentation may not be used without explicit permission.
“Let Us Pray: The Liturgical Life of the Church”
 Cornerstone document: The Constitution on the
Sacred Liturgy: Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC)
 Date: December 4, 1963
 English Copy:
http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_coun
cil/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctumconcilium_en.html
 Spanish Copy:
http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_coun
cil/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctumconcilium_sp.html
Tonight’s Outline
A. Sacrosanctum Concilium & The Liturgy
1. What is liturgy?
2. Vatican II Reform
3. Active Participation
4. A Breakdown of the Mass
5. Sacred Music
6. Sacred Art, Beauty, & Symbol
B. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Pop Quiz
Question 1:
What does the word “liturgy”
mean?
Pop Quiz
Answer:
The Greek word λειτουργία
originally meant a “public work”
or “the people’s work”. In the
Christian tradition it means the
participation of the people in the
work of God.
Tonight’s Outline
A. Sacrosanctum Concilium & The Liturgy
1. What is liturgy?
2. Vatican II Reform
3. Active Participation
4. A Breakdown of the Mass
5. Sacred Music
6. Sacred Art, Beauty, & Symbol
B. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
1. What is liturgy?
What it is and what it is not: “The primary and exclusive
aim of the liturgy is not the expression of the individual’s
reverence and worship for God. It is not even concerned
with the awakening, formation, and sanctification of the
individual soul as such. Nor does the onus of liturgical
action and prayer rest with the collective groups,
composed of numerous individuals, who periodically
achieve a limited and intermittent unity in their capacity
as the congregation of a church. The liturgical unity
consists rather of the united body of the faithful as such
– the Church – a body which infinitely outnumbers the
mere congregation. The liturgy is the Church’s public
and lawful act of worship…” (Guardini 19)
1. What is liturgy?
 “The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of
the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font
from which all her power flows.” (SC 10)
 We celebrate the liturgy as one Church
 The liturgy is timeless (Ratzinger 55-57)
 The earthly liturgy participates in the heavenly liturgy
(SC 8)
 “the liturgy us no mere commemoration of what once
existed, but is living and real; it is the enduring life of
Jesus Christ in us, and that of the believer in Christ,
eternally God and Man.” (Guardini 50)
1. What is liturgy?
 Liturgy is not to be confused with personal prayer
(Guardini 20)
 Liturgy stresses thought, not feeling
 Emotion is fleeting and unpredictable, but our thought
and action can be consistent
 “The liturgy as a whole is not favorable to exuberance
of feeling. Emotion glows in its depths, but it
smolders merely, like the fiery heart of the volcano,
whose summit stands out clear and serene against
the quiet sky. The liturgy is emotion, but it is emotion
under the strictest control.” (Guardini 25-26)
1. What is liturgy?
 Liturgy is not individualistic – it is about unity
 The liturgy does not have purpose but has meaning
 Humility allows us to transcend our individual spiritual
existence
 Trying to choose the form of liturgy or worship is an
subtle form of idolatry
 Story of the golden calf:
“Worship is no longer going up to God, but
drawing God down into one’s own world.”
(Ratzinger 22)
Tonight’s Outline
A. Sacrosanctum Concilium & The Liturgy
1. What is liturgy?
2. Vatican II Reform
3. Active Participation
4. A Breakdown of the Mass
5. Sacred Music
6. Sacred Art, Beauty, & Symbol
B. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
2. Vatican II Reform
“There must be no innovations unless the good of the
Church genuinely and certainly requires them; and
care must be taken that any new forms adopted
should in some way grow organically from forms
already existing.” (SC 23)
 Organic development – not divorce or break
 The use of the vernacular
 New Roman Missal
 Priests, deacons, and lay people are not free to
innovate or personalize the liturgy
Pop Quiz
Question 2:
Christ is present in the Mass in
four distinct ways. Can you name
them?
(Time Check 7:15)
Pop Quiz
Answer:
1. The Word
2. The Eucharist
3. The Priest
4. The Church (People as a whole)
Tonight’s Outline
A. Sacrosanctum Concilium & The Liturgy
1. What is liturgy?
2. Vatican II Reform
3. Active Participation
4. A Breakdown of the Mass
5. Sacred Music
6. Sacred Art, Beauty, & Symbol
B. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
3. Active Participation
“Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should
be led to that fully conscious, and active participation in
liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature
of the liturgy. Such participation by the Christian people as "a
chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed
people (1 Pet. 2:9; cf. 2:4-5), is their right and duty by reason
of their baptism.
In the restoration and promotion of the sacred liturgy, this full
and active participation by all the people is the aim to be
considered before all else; for it is the primary and
indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive the
true Christian spirit; and therefore pastors of souls must
zealously strive to achieve it, by means of the necessary
instruction, in all their pastoral work.” (SC 14)
Tonight’s Outline
A. Sacrosanctum Concilium & The Liturgy
1. What is liturgy?
2. Vatican II Reform
3. Active Participation
4. A Breakdown of the Mass
5. Sacred Music
6. Sacred Art, Beauty, & Symbol
B. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
4. A Breakdown of the Mass
Introductory Rites
 Penitential Rite
 Gloria
 Collect (Opening Prayer)
Liturgy of the Word
 Readings
 Homily
 Creed
 Prayers of the Faithful
4. A Breakdown of the Mass
Liturgy of the Eucharist
 Offertory and Preparation of the Gifts
 Eucharistic Prayer
 Thanksgiving
 Epiclesis
 Institution & Consecration
 Anamnesis
 Intercessions
 Doxology
4. A Breakdown of the Mass
Liturgy of the Eucharist (continued)
 The Lord’s Prayer
 Sign of Peace
 Fraction
 Communion
 Prayer After Communion
 Eucharistic Prayer
Concluding Rite
 Blessing & Dismissal
Pop Quiz
Question 3:
How many distinct liturgical
seasons does the Church
celebrate (hint: Ordinary Time
counts as one)?
Pop Quiz
Answer:
Six
(Ordinary Time, Advent,
Christmas, Lent, Triduum, Easter)
Tonight’s Outline
A. Sacrosanctum Concilium & The Liturgy
1. What is liturgy?
2. Vatican II Reform
3. Active Participation
4. A Breakdown of the Mass
5. Sacred Music
6. Sacred Art, Beauty, & Symbol
B. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
5. Sacred Music
Singing is an essential part of full, active, and
conscious participation
Music is both personal and communal (Sing to the
Lord, 2)
Gregorian chant and pipe organ are to be given “pride
of place” (SC 116-120)
 “Singing, the surpassing of ordinary speech, is a
‘pneumatic’ event.” Liturgical music is a type of
“tongue” itself –a gift and charism of the Spirit. In
this music, there is sober inebriation – the balance
between the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the
reason and order of the Logos. (Ratzinger 140)
Tonight’s Outline
A. Sacrosanctum Concilium & The Liturgy
1. What is liturgy?
2. Vatican II Reform
3. Active Participation
4. A Breakdown of the Mass
5. Sacred Music
6. Sacred Art, Beauty, & Symbol
B. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
6. Sacred Art, Beauty, & Symbol
“The fine arts are rightly classed among the noblest
activities of human genius; this is especially true of
religious art and of its highest achievement, sacred art.
Of their nature the arts are directed toward expressing in
some way the infinite beauty of God in works made by
human hands. They are dedicated to God, they praise
him and extend his glory to the extent that their only true
purpose is to turn people’s spirits devoutly toward God.”
(SC 122)
(Time Check 7:30)
6. Sacred Art, Beauty, & Symbol
 Beauty is important in places of worship – the House
of the Lord should feel like a sharp contrast to the
ordinary world – it should lead our hearts and minds
to the mysterious and divine.
Statues, images, stained glass window etc. help us to
ponder divine realities
Precious metals, cloth, materials add dignity to that
which is set apart for a sacred purpose (vessels,
vestments, etc.)
Vestments - assuming a mantle
Smells and bells
Pop Quiz
Question 4:
What is the name of the colorful
outer garment the priest wear
while celebrating Mass?
Pop Quiz
Answer:
The priest’s outer garment is
called a chasuble. A deacon’s
outer garment is called a
dalmatic.
Tonight’s Outline
A. Sacrosanctum Concilium & The Liturgy
1. What is liturgy?
2. Vatican II Reform
3. Active Participation
4. A Breakdown of the Mass
5. Sacred Music
6. Sacred Art, Beauty, & Symbol
B. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
B. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
 The Host, Christ fully and actually present, is placed in
a monstrance.
 Incense is used as a means of giving reverence to God
and is a symbol of the sacrifice of Christians, as well
as the rising prayers of the faithful
 Emphasis on silence and contemplation
 At benediction, the monstance is used to bless the
people – a blessing not from a priest or deacon, but
from Christ himself
 Adoration helps us to contemplate Christ and increase
our longing to receive the Lord in Holy Communion
Other Documents Referenced:
 USCCB – Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship
 Romano Guardini – The Spirit of the Liturgy
 Joseph Ratzinger – The Spirit of the Liturgy
 Catechism of the Catholic Church
© 2/7/2013, Jeffrey Bame – Content of this presentation may not be used without explicit permission.